Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has criticised the ritual of “made snana”, where people roll over plantain leaves with leftover food partaken by Brahmins, and urged people to shed “superstitious beliefs” and instead develop “scientific temper”.

Delivering the valedictory address at a seminar on “Kaludari Santa Parampare Mattu Kanakadasaru” at the T. Chennaiah Ranga Mandir here on Wednesday, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that those fighting such rituals are being projected as culprits.

He criticised the electronic media for airing programmes that nurture blind beliefs and unhealthy rituals detrimental to the development of society.

“While the Sharanas and saints such as Basaveshwara and Kanakadasa preached human values and fought inequality as well as evils in society centuries ago, the same evils are being propagated in the age of science,” Mr. Siddaramaiah regretted.

He underscored the need for preserving and propagating the ideals of the saints for the benefit of future generations.

The Rashtrakavi Santa Kanakadasa Studies and Research Centre, the Backward Classes Welfare Department and the district unit of Kannada Sahitya Parishat conducted the two-day seminar which was inaugurated by writer G. Ramakrishna on Tuesday.